Single dose inhaler

ABSTRACT

The inhalator comprises a main body affording an inhalation conduit; a second body exhibiting a housing, into which a capsule can be at least partially inserted; the second body being rotatably coupled with the main body, and being able to rotate from an open position, in which the housing is accessible from outside for insertion of a capsule, and a closed position, in which the housing is in communication with the inhalation conduit; means for cutting for cutting off a portion of a capsule which projects from the housing during rotation of the second body from the open position to the closed position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an inhalator for single-dose mixtures incapsules. In particular, the inhalator enables inhalation of a mixture,typically powder, closed internally of a capsule made of plasticmaterial which is wholly inserted into the inhalator.

BACKGROUND ART

Inhalators of this type are known in the prior art and are constitutedby a container comprising an inhaltion conduit in communication with achamber for housing a capsule containing a pharmaceutical substance tobe inhaled. The housing chamber is elongate, and of a same shape asusual capsules for powder-form drugs, and is transversaly arranged withrespect to a longitudinal development of the inhalation conduit. Meansfor breaking open the capsule are associated to the housing chamber andarranged at ends thereof; the means for breaking are constituted by twopiercing devices, including a number of sharp teeth which penetrate thehousing chamber. The teeth are kept in an external position in relationto the chamber by a plurality of springs and exhibit a portion which isexternal to the container in which it is possible to exert a pressurewith the fingers to cause perforation of the capsule. The powder can atthis point exit from the capsule and be inhaled.

EP 1 238 680 discloses an inhaler comprising: means to hold the capsuleinside said cover, with an open compartment, of circular shape, placeddirectly inside the cover, into which the capsule is placed, resting onthe circular groove of said compartment; means to hold the pieces of thecase of the capsule, after it has been split, and to prevent the powderfrom aggregating, with a reservoir having a series of slots on its wallsthat hold the bigger pieces inside, while letting the powder passthrough; means to close the container, with a cover, which holds thecapsule and closes the horizontal chamber, having two outer protrusionson its walls that stop under the inner protrusions of the chamber,preventing the cover from accidentally escaping from its place; means toallow the coverto rotate, thanks to the circular shape of the same coverand the chamber, so as to split the capsule with a simple rotation ofthe cover, in any direction, till a blade element reaches and cuts thecapsule; means to split the capsule, with an element, consisting of acircular plate comprising a hole, whose vertical axis is laterally movedfrom the one of the inhaler, which holds the lower part of the capsule,so that, by rotating said element, the blade below cuts the lower partof the capsule.

The known-type inhalators exhibit numerous drawbacks,

A main drawback is the presence of a relatively high number ofcomponents, considering the presence of the piercing devices, thesprings and the maneuvering ends of the piercing devices. Some of thesecomponents are in relative motion with respect to the container andthere is therefore a liability of malfunctioning or jamming. Thesecomponents also require careful assembly operations in order to functioncorrectly, which lead to an increase in cost of the inhalator.

Prior art inhalators also exhibit some functional defects. Firstly,perforation of the capsule does not guarantee complete exit of themedicinal substance, as the openings created are at ends of the capsuleand small in size. To favour exit of the substance the inhalator has tobe shaken and several inhalations performed, and still without thecertainty of hag consumed all of the capsule's contents. The position ofthe housing chamber, which is aligned with the inhalation conduit, issuch that the passage of the medicinal substance from the chamber to theinhalation conduit is considerably obstructed. To favour inhalation thedevice has to be inclined in order to raise the inhalation chamber, andconsequently the medicinal substance is not directly aspirated into thetrachea but enters partly into contact with the inside of the mouth andis thus less effectively absorbed by the patient.

A further drawback of the inhalators of known type is that the cutportion of the capsule falls into the reservoir together with thepowder. A part of the powder may remain entrapped in this cut portion ofthe capsule, or the cut portion may lay into the reservoir obstructingthe flow of the powder through the inhaler, in both cases causing auincomplete inhalation of the powder

The main aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-describeddrawbacks by providing an inhalator for single-dose mixtures incapsules, which is characterized by having a limited number ofcomponents.

A further aim of the resent invention is to provide an inhalator inwhich the medicinal mixture is made available for inhalation by beingcompletely transferred to the inhalation conduit.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide an inhalator inwhich the mixture is inhaled by means of a simple drawing-in of breathby the user.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Further characteristic and advantages of the present invention will bearemerge from the detailed description that follows of an inhalator forsingle-dose mixtures in capsules, in a preferred but non-exclusiveembodiment of the invention, illustrated purely by way of non-limitingexample in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inhalator of theinvention, in a first operating configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inhalator of FIG. 1 in a secondoperating configuration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first component of the inhalator ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second component of the inhalator ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view in section of the inhalator of FIG. 2.

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes in its entiretythe inhalator of the invention. It comprises a main body 2 having aninhalation conduit 3. The main body 2 comprises a first surface 10 whichextends more-or-less planarly and parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe inhalation conduit 3 and exhibits a hole 8 for communication withthe inhalation conduit 3.

Advantageously the main body 2 can be made of a transparent material.

The inhalator 1 further comprises a second body 4 which exhibits asecond surface 14 which is complementarily shaped with respect to thefirst surface 10 and is in contact there-with. A housing 5 is affordedin the second surface 14, in which a capsule 30 can be at leastpartially inserted. The second body 4 is rotatably coupled to the mainbody 2 so that it can rotate from an open position, in which the housing5 is accessible from the outside for insertion of a capsule 30, to aclosed position, in which the housing 5 is aligned with the hole 8.

Advantageously, the second body 4 can be made of a transparent material.

The inhalator 1 further comprises means for cutting 11 for cutting away,as will be better explained herein below, a portion of the capsule 30which projects from the housing 5 during rotation of the second body 4from the open position to the closed position.

The first surface 10 is, overall, shaped as a segment of a circle withan apex thereof located in an intermediate position with respect to thelongitudinal 5 development of the inhalation conduit 3. The firstsurface 10 comprises a pivot 12 which is perpendicular to the firstsurface 10 and is arranged in about the same position as the apex of thefirst surface 10; the first surface 10 exhibits a guide spur 13 which isperpendicular to the first surface 10 and has a lateral projection 13 aand a strike surface 13 b. The lateral projection 13 a is an undercutafforded on a lateral surface of the spur 13 so that the portion ofpivot 12 which is close to the first surface 10 has a smaller sectionthan the remaining portion of the pivot 12.

The means for cutting 11 comprise a cutting edge 11 a, arrangedperipherally on the first surface 10, which exhibits a sawtooth shape.As the first surface 10 and the second surface 14 are in contact, duringthe rotation of the second body 4 from the open position to the closedposition the portion of the capsule 30 projecting from the housing 5interferes with the cutting edge 11 a, and is cut by the sawtooth edgeof the cutting edge. The cut portion remains external of the inhalator.

The inhalation conduit 3 exhibits a first opening 6 for aspiration ofair from the outside, arranged on the first surface 10, and a secondmouth 7 for inhalation of a single-dose mixture. The hole 8 is arrangedon the first surface 10 in an intermediate position between the firstand the second mouths 6 and 7. The second mouth 7 is used by the user toaspirate the medicinal mixture, while air passes through the first mouth6 to enter the inhalator. To facilitate inlet of air through the firstmouth 6, a channel can be afforded on the first surface 10, extendingfrom the edge of the first surface 10 to the first mouth 6. In a correctuse of the inhalator, once the capsule 30 has been cut, the inhalator isgripped in such a way that the housing 5 is vertical and the cut end ofthe capsule 30 is facing downwards. The medicinal mixture falls from thecapsule 30 into the inhalation conduit through the hole 8 and into theflow of air which is taken in through the first mouth 6 and entrainedtowards the second mouth 7 by the inhaling action exerted by the user.

The inhalation conduit 3 exhibits a longitudinal section which issimilar to a venturi tube and the hole 8 is arranged at thesmallest-section end, i.e. the gullet end. The medicinal mixture whichdrops down from the capsule 30 is very effectively drawn into the airflow in transit towards the mouth of the user, and the depression whichis created in the gullet section of the conduit 3 draws any residues ofmedicinal mixture left in the capsule 30 or the hole 8 into the conduit3. To prevent blockage, the hole 8 internally comprises a baffle 9arranged across a diameter of the hole 8.

The second body 4 comprises a seating 15 which faces onto the secondsurface 14 and is predisposed to be inserted on the pivot 12 and toachieve a rotatable coupling between the main body 2 and the second body4, in which coupling the first surface 10 and the second surface 14 arein reciprocal contact, one sliding on the other. The seating 15 isafforded in the breadth of the second body 4 and is oriented so that alateral surface thereof is arranged perpendicular to the second surface14. In the illustrated embodiment, the seating 15 exhibits a C-shapedtransversal section and the pivot 12 has a cylindrical shape with alateral flat area enabling the main body 2 and the second body 4 to beunhinged in a predetermined angular position.

The second body 4 further exhibits a ledge 16 made along an edge of thesecond body 4, a shape of which complements the undercut 13 a of theguide spur 13 and which is predisposed to interact in contact with theundercut 13 a. When the main body 2 and the second body 4 are coupled,the ledge 16 is inserted below the undercut 13 a and rotations that tendto separate the first surface 10 and second surface 14 are prevented.

The second body 14 further comprises a strike surface 17, perpendicularto the longitudinal development of the ledge 16, arranged at an end ofthe ledge 16 itself, and predisposed to meet the strike surface 13 b ofthe guide spur 13. The contact between the strike surface 17 and thestrike surface 13 b defines a limit to angular displacement between thefirst surface 10 and the second surface 14, which limit is the closedposition.

To ease opening and closing of the inhalator, the second body 4comprises a transversal maneuvering surface 18, perpendicular to thesecond surface 14 and extending on the opposite side of the second body4 with respect to the second surface 14. By acting on the maneuveringsurface 18 it is extremely simple to perform a cutting action on acapsule 30 inserted in the housing 5.

The inhalator of the invention offers important advantages.

First of all, it basically comprises only two components, assembly ofwhich is extremely simple. The inhalator is thus decidedly economical toproduce and is practically without risk of jamming or malfunctioning.

Secondly, the arrangement of the housing for the capsule, as well as thecomplete cutting-open thereof, make the contents of the capsule fullyavailable for inhalation, giving the user the certainty of havingcompletely inhaled the correct dose. If transparent materials have beenused, the user can fully check, even more easily, that he or she hascompleted inhalation of the full dose.

Thirdly, as the medicinal mixture is deposited internally of theinhalation conduit and internally of the flow of air created by theuser's aspiration, the inhalator can be kept in a horizontal position.In this horizontal position, the longitudinal axis of the inhalationconduit is aligned with the mouth of the user, which enables themedicinal powders to reach the trachea without depositing on theinternal parts of the mouth.

1-7. (canceled) 8). An inhalator for single-dose mixtures in capsulescomprising a main body having an inhalation conduit, wherein the mainbody comprises a first surface which extends planar and parallel to alongitudinal axis of the inhalation conduit and exhibits a hole forcommunication with the inhalation conduit; the inhalator also comprisesa second body which exhibits a second surface, shaped complementarily tothe first surface and placed in contact with the first surface, on whichfirst surface a housing is fashioned, into which housing a capsule canbe at least partially inserted; the second body being rotatably coupledwith the main body, and being able to rotate from an open position, inwhich the housing is accessible from outside for insertion of a capsule,and a closed position, in which the housing is aligned with the hole;the inhalator also comprises cutting means for cutting off a portion ofa capsule which projects from the housing during rotation of the secondbody from the open position to the closed position, said means forcutting comprising a cutting edge arranged peripherally on the firstsurface, a cut portion of said capsule remaining external of theinhalator. 9). The inhalator of claim 8, wherein the first surfaceexhibits an overall shape which is a segment of a circle, with an apexthereof located in an intermediate position with respect to alongitudinal development of the inhalation conduit and comprises a pivotwhich is perpendicular to the first surface and arranged at the apex ofthe first surface, and a guide spur which is perpendicular to the firstsurface and arranged along an arced edge of the first surface, the guidespur having an undercut and a strike surface. 10). The inhalator ofclaim 9, wherein the means for cutting comprise a cutting edge, arrangedperipherally on the first surface and having a sawtooth profile. 11).The inhalator of claim 10, wherein the inhalation conduit exhibits afirst mouth for aspiration of air from an outside environment, whichfirst mouth is arranged on the first surface, and a second mouth forinhalation of a single-dose medicinal mixture, the hole being arrangedon the first surface in an intermediate position between the first mouthand the second mouth. 12). The inhalator of claim 11, wherein theinhalation conduit exhibits a longitudinal section which is essentiallya venturi tube, the hole being arranged in a narrowed, gullet sectionthereof. 13). The inhalator of claim 12, wherein the hole internallycomprises a baffle arranged across a diameter of the hole. 14). Theinhalator of claim 13, wherein the second body comprises a seating whichfaces the second surface, which seating can be inserted on the pivot torealize a rotatable coupling between the main body and the second bodyin which the first surface and the second surface are in reciprocalcontact and slide one upon another; a ledge, fashioned along an edge ofthe second body, which ledge is complementarily shaped with respect tothe undercut of the guide tooth and which ledge is predisposed tointeract contactingly with the undercut; a ledge strike surface which isperpendicular to a longitudinal development of the ledge and which isarranged at an end of the ledge, the ledge strike surface being destinedto strike against the strike surface situated on the guide spur; atransversal maneuvering surface, perpendicular to the second surface,which extends on an opposite side of the second body with respect to thesecond surface.